and 14,000 BTU per hundredweight. In general, the inclusion of these other 

 energy consuming activities would not change the results of the analysis. 



The Northeast. Farmers in the Northeast will feed approximately seven 

 million tons of commercially mixed dairy, layer and broiler feed in 1976 (Table 

 3). The amount of fossil fuel energy required to produce, process and transport 



Table 3. Regional Sununary of Least Cose and Least Energy Rations , Northeast , 19 76 



these seven million tons exceeds 38 trillion BTU. However, if energy minimizing 

 rations were fed instead of those that minimize cost, an energy savings on the 

 order of seven trillion BTU (nearly 19 percent) could be realized; this is 

 equivalent to somewhat more than 57 million gallons of gasoline annually. 



Nearly 40 percent of the volume of feed consumed in the Northeast is dairy 

 ration. On average, the least cost dairy rations that would be fed (on the basis of 

 February 1976 prices) would contain about 244,000 BTU per hundredweight. If 

 energy minimizing rations were substituted, the BTU content would fall to 

 about 200,000 (an energy savings of 18 percent). In the aggregate nearly 2.4 

 trillion BTU could be saved by feeding least energy rations; this is equivalent to 

 about 19 million gallons of gasoline. However, the energy savings would not be 

 without a consequent economic cost to dairymen and ultimately consumers. On 

 average, dairymen would have to pay nearly $10.00 more per ton of mixed feed. 

 This increased feed cost would mean that dairy farmers would have to receive an 

 additional $0.12 per hundredweight of milk just to break even. While the latter 

 figure may appear to be small, it should be realized that the dairymen's feed bill 

 would increase by nearly $27 million and that this increased cost would be 

 reflected as either a higher price in the supermarket or a decrease in farm 

 income. (For purposes of analysis, it is assumed that the price of farm products 

 reflects the increased feed cost.) 



In feeding layers and broilers in the Northeast, it is estimated that 

 approximately 3.7 and 1.1 trillion BTU respectively could be saved annually if 

 energy minimizing rations were fed. Together this is roughly equivalent to 38 

 million gallons of gasoline. To accomplish this energy savings the cost of the 

 associated products would have to rise. The price of eggs would need to increase 

 by 2.6 cents per dozen and the cost of broilers by two cents per pound. In the 

 aggregate, poultry farmers in the Northeast would have to pay about $59 million 

 more for their feed. 



Thus, in the Northeast, considerable energy savings could be achieved. 

 However, the cost of substituting least energy rations for least cost rations would 

 be great - on the order of $85 million, or $1.19 per 100,000 BTU saved. 



